Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm (D-Texas), co-chairman of the research forum and a founder of the House Blue Dog Coalition, said the group wanted to do a deeper diver on independent voters to give voice to a key demographic likely to impact the upcoming mid-term elections.

Former Rep. Bud Cramer (Ala.), who also was a member of the Blue Dogs when he served in Congress, concurred. Cramer and Stenholm launched the Blue Dog Research Forum, a nonprofit, in April.

We were struck by the overwhelming number of Independents calling for consensus, Cramer said in a statement. This common ground approach reflects the spirit of the Blue Dogs.

Job creation, the national debt and the deficit, and energy independence were the top issues independents said they would like Congress to address over the next two years. They also want Congress to tackle unresolved issues related to health care reform, as well as taxes, Social Security and Medicare.